NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A lesbian couple is asking for changes at Dollywood after an employee asked one of the women to turn her T-shirt reading "marriage is so gay" inside-out to avoid offending others on a recent visit to the Tennessee theme park complex.

Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton said Tuesday they want the park to be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families after Odom was asked to reverse her shirt when they visited Dollywood Splash Country next to the Pigeon Forge amusement park. The story was first reported by WBIR-TV in Knoxville.

Dollywood spokesman Pete Owens said on Tuesday that Dollywood is open to all families, but their dress code policy is to ask people with clothing or tattoos that could be considered offensive to change clothes or cover up.
Owens said the couple was not asked to leave and complied with the rules to reverse the shirt when asked.

"The park is open every day to everybody," Owens said. "We try to provide an environment for families of all shapes and sizes to enjoy themselves.

Owens said park officials were discussing the matter and would speak with the couple directly.

Odom said that they visited the water park July 9 with friends and their friends' two children when she was asked by a person at the front gate to turn her shirt inside out because it was a family park. Odom said she complied so as not to make a scene in front of the children, but felt offended.

"That's what we found so offensive — that he said it was a family park," Tipton said. "Families come in a wide range of definitions these days and we were with our family."

The two said they felt they needed to file a complaint with Dollywood because they believed it was important to stand up for their beliefs in marriage equality.

"If marriage equality is going to happen, it's not going to happen if people sit at home quietly," Odom said.

Odom said they understand the park can have dress code policies, but she felt Dollywood needed to make their policies clear and provide better training for employees when determining what is considered offensive.
Odom and Tipton are not legally married, but held a ceremony last year in North Carolina. They wrote an email to the park asking the park "to implement policies that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; conduct staff sensitivity training; and issue a public statement indicating that the park is inclusive of all families."

Owens said the couple's complaints have sparked discussion at the park about the dress code, a policy that park employees deal with frequently because of the thousands of visitors every year.

Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton said Tuesday they want the park to be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families after Odom was asked to reverse her shirt when they visited Dollywood Splash Country next to the Pigeon Forge amusement park. The story was first reported by WBIR-TV in Knoxville.

And why should they not be more inclusive of heterosexual couples who may be offended by the shirt? You can bet your ass they would have wanted them asking someone to remove or change a shirt offensive to gays.

Quote:

"That's what we found so offensive — that he said it was a family park," Tipton said. "Families come in a wide range of definitions these days and we were with our family."

That is correct. Families do come in a wide range these days and that still includes the traditional family so they deserve the same courtesy as gays.

It amazes me how hypocritical this gay couple is being. They are upset about being offended when they were purposely wearing a shirt designed to offend others.

They don't want equal rights, they just want the right to violate others' rights.

Seriously, though, they knew what they were doing. Like a couple of grade-schoolers who are desperate for attention, this kind of publicity was exactly what they wanted. I'm pretty sure they would have been disappointed if no one had said anything about their shirts the entire time they were there.

When we went to Dollywood about 10 years ago, the guy in front of us in line was asked to turn his shirt inside out because it had a beer slogan on it. He did it--no problems-even apologized for not thinking about what he was wearing to a family park. Guess he didn't know he could raise a ruckus about Dollywood being offensive to beer-drinking families!

I'm offended by gays being gay in public. i know i'm not open minded in a few areas and that is one. i wouldn't even be comfortable around them holding hands much less them dissing marriage something that i believe in. I think the park was in the right to have them turn the shirt inside out. I also believe they would do it is there was a naked woman on a shirt. something that might offend a nudist. obviously i know that i will see things that i don't agree with and i will see these things also with my kids. it is my job to teach them what is right and wrong.

i probably would have pointed at them laughed and took a picture. i wouldn't care if i offended them since they didn't care who they were offending.

i also think it is ironic that the shirt one of them was wearing could be offensive to some people but they are worried that they were offended.

anyway .. twinsmama .. i don't think they were dissing marriage but it was more of support for gay marriage .. don't know .. could be wrong ... but i would think it would be a play on words meaning gays should be allowed to marry ... i just think censoring something like that is silly ... i could understand swear words or something .. i remember when i was younger there was a kid my age wearing a swastika on his shirt (i am sure that is considered offensive and not allowed here in canada).. i started mouthing off to the kid saying he didn't know what it stood for and crap as no one else would do it .. LOL .. the kids dad came by and wanted to tear me a new one (surprise, he was wearing the same shirt) .. anyways, stuff like that i can see being offensive, beer shirts and ghey stuff, i'd say pick your battles ..

anyway .. twinsmama .. i don't think they were dissing marriage but it was more of support for gay marriage .. don't know .. could be wrong ... but i would think it would be a play on words meaning gays should be allowed to marry ... i just think censoring something like that is silly ... i could understand swear words or something .. i remember when i was younger there was a kid my age wearing a swastika on his shirt (i am sure that is considered offensive and not allowed here in canada).. i started mouthing off to the kid saying he didn't know what it stood for and crap as no one else would do it .. LOL .. the kids dad came by and wanted to tear me a new one (surprise, he was wearing the same shirt) .. anyways, stuff like that i can see being offensive, beer shirts and ghey stuff, i'd say pick your battles ..

Dollywood is a theme park started by country music singer Dolly Parton.

Anyways, I would full expect to be asked to turn my T-shirt inside out at Dollywood if I were wearing an "Abortion is murder!" shirt. So, the only reason for me to wear such a shirt would be to spark a reaction and then cry about how my freedom of speech is being violated. These women's motives are no different. Only the media actually pays attention to them because the media is working overtime to sell the gay agenda.